Method and apparatus for stitch pleating piece goods



Jan. 25, 1966 A.- L. cARBoNARo 3,230,744

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STITCH PLEATING PIECE GOODS Filed Aug. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 nNvzNroR ALFREDO LCAKBONARO ATTORNEY Jan- 25, 1966 A. l.. cARBoNARo 3,230,744

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STITCH PLEATING PIECE GOODS Filed Aug. 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VEN-rol? ALFRED .CARBDNARO BY ATTOR NSY United States Patent O 3,230,744 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STITCH PLEATING PlECE GOODS Alfredo L. Carbonaro, New York, NX., assignor to Philipsburg Knitting Mills, Inc., Yonkers, NSY., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 301,796 8 Claims. (Cl. 66-85) This invention relates generally to a unique method of operating upon fabric to pleat or gather the same, and embraces novel apparatus for accomplishing the operation.

lt is an important object of the present invention to provide a highly advantageous method and apparatus Ifor forming in piece goods or fabric a wide variety of sizes and configurations of cleats or gathers in a rapid and automatic manner. y Y It is another object ofthe present invention to provide a unique attachment for a yflat-bedr knitting machine, which by the instant method, is capable of producing pleated, gathered or wrinkled fabric of many varied designs and styles.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a unique method and apparatus having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, which is extremely simple in structure and operation, entirely reliable in use, and which may be economically manufactured, set up and run to achieve substantial savings in costs.

Other Objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring tothe accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of' elements and steps, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FlGURE l is a diagrammatic illustration of the instant method, showing various stages in performance of the method. l

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating one style or design ofl pleated fabric adapted to be formed by the method and apparatus of the instant invention.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan View showing the obverse face of the fabric of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side-elevational view, partly in section, showing the over-all arrangement of a knitting machine incorporating the improved attachment of the instant inventioh.

FIGURE 5 is a partial perspective view showing the knitting machine of FlGURE 4, but greatly enlarged and broken away for clarity of understanding.

FIGURES 6-9 are diagrammatic illustrations of various stages of the method as practiced by the instant apparatus.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURE 4 thereof, a flat-bed knitting machine is there generally designated 26, and may be of the conventional German or American type, except for the instant attachment, as will appear presently. The knitting machine may include a frame 21 adapted to rest on a suitable loor orsupport 22. The knit-ting machine Ztl may include withdrawal rollers 23 journaled on the frame 21, and a take-up spool orl coil 24 also journaled on the frame. The withdrawal rolls 23 and take-up coil 24 are journaled to rotate axially about generally horizontal axes; and, a straight or flat, generally horizontal needle bed 25 may be mounted' on the frame 21 above the withdrawal rolls ICC 23. A set of fabric guide-tension rollers may be mounted for rotation about generally parallel, horizontal axes, being journaled on the frame 21 above the needle bed 25, as at 26, 27 and 28.

The withdrawal rolls 23, needle bed 25 and rollers 26-28 may all be located at one side of the machine 20, which may be considered as the front side thereof. At the rear side of the machine 20, the frame 21 is provided with uprights or standards 30, which carry rearwardly eX- tending elevated `arms 31. Journaled on the, arms 31 are a plurality of tension rollers 32. A shaker or slack bar 33 is mounted on the uprights 30, below the arms 31, and provided with a depending arm 34 having at its lower end a cam follower 35. Below the lower end of arm 34 is a shaft 36 which may be journaled, as by bearings 37 to the frame 21, and may carry a flywheel 38. Also provided on the shaft 36 is a cam 40 in camming relation with the -follower 35 to actuate the slack bar 33. The slack bar may carry rollers 41 and 42; and, an additional roller 43, may be carried by the frame uprights 30.

As thus far described, the knitting-machine apparatus may be conventional. Also conventional may be a generally horizonal wai bar 45, of the lifting or vertically reciprocable type, located forward of and above the needle bed 25.

The improvement of the instant invention is generally designated 56, and is carried by the Waff bar 45, depending therebelow. More specifically, the improvement 50 includes an elongate, generally horizontal guide 5.1 extending below the wad' bar 45 in front of and. slightly above the needle bed 25. The guide 51 is suspended from the waff bar d5 by a plurality of hangers 52. Hence, the guide 51 is recipr'ocable vertically with the Waff'bar 45, as indicated by the arrow 53. As the needle bed 25 is provided in conventional manner with a plurality of needles 54 which reciprocate generally horizontally and transversely of the needle bed, to project forward and retract rearward, it will now be appreciated that the guide 51 oscillates or reciprocates in a path generally transverse to that of thencedles. Further, as will appear presently in greater detail, the guide 51 moves intok and out of the path of the needles.

A web of fabric or piece goods is generally designated 55 and a supply thereof, as at 56., may be contained in a receptacle 57,. From the fabric supplyY 56, the fabric web may extend upward `and be, trained about the tension rolls 32, as at 53, to a degree determinedl by the desired tension. From the tension rolls 32, the fabric 55 may extend about the rolls 41 and 42 of the slack bar 33,., as at 59, thence progressing downward `about the roll 43, as at 60, and then passing through the rolls 26, 2.7 andv 23. From the latter rolls 26-28, the fabrick 55 may. pass forward, as at 61, and downward through the guide 51, whence the fabric is trained about a guide roll 62 just below the needle bed `25, as at 63. The fabric then passes through the withdrawal rolls 23, and thence to the takeu-p roll or coil 24.

The novel apparatus 50, andthe adjacenty conventional apparatus is best seen in FGURE 5. The needle bed 25 is shown as having a plurality ofy transverse grooves or slots 65, and lands or ribs 66 intermediate the grooves. The needles 54 are adaptedl to extend .alongl selected grooves 65 and may have bearded and pointed ends 67. The needles 54 are thus disposed' horizontally and reciprocably to project their bearded ends 67 forward and retract rearward into the needleabed grooves 65.

Each hanger 52 may depend from the waff bar 45. A setscrew 71, or other equivalent means may be provided in the hanger for holding engagement with the received; wait' bar 45a to. prevent relative movement between the hanger and waff bars. The lower region of each hanger 52 may be tubular and open downwardly for receiving the upper end of a support rod or shank 72. The support rod 72 is adjustable relative to the hanger 52, as by a setscrew 73 engageable through the hanger, or by other suitable means.

The guide 51 includes a pair of generally horizontal guide members 75 and 76 disposed in parallel spaced relation and extending laterally of the machine along and spaced from the needle bed 25. The guide members 75 and 76 may each be fabricated of angle stock, as illustrated, or otherwise if desired. As illustrated, the forward guide member 75 has one flange 77 disposed generally horizontally and other ange 78 depending along the rearward edge of the horizontal ange. The support rods 72 may have their lower ends anchored to the horizontal flange 77 of the guide member 75, -by any suitable means. Provision for adjustable securement of the support rods 72 to the flange 77 may be advantageous.

The rear guide member 76 includes a generally horizontal ange 79, which may be approximately level with the ange 77, and depending from the forward edge of the flange 79 is a flange S0. The ange 80 is disposed rearward of and in spaced facing relation with the flange 78. Further, the flanges 7S and 80 may converge somewhat in the downward direction. As noted, the flange 30 depends ibelow the flange 7S, and is provided along its lower edge with a series of notches, cutouts or openings 81, for a purpose appearing presently. In order to maintain the guide members 75 and 76 in fixed, spaced-apart relation, suitable connection means may be provided in the form of wedge-shaped spacers 82 interposed between and tixedly secured to flanges 78 and 80 at opposite ends thereof as, for instance, by removable fasteners 82a. The guide 51 is thus composed of the guide members 75 and 76, and is movable vertically as a unit, in the direction of arrow 53.

The guide 76, .as stated, is removably interchangeable with other similar guides which differ from guide 76 only in the arrangement and size of the notches or cutouts 81 to accommodate different design requirements.

Upon the downward stroke of guide members 75 and 76, the lower region of flange 80 is located in front of the needle grooves 65, the lower ange edge 83 thus moving through the path of the needles 54. The cutouts or openings 81 are located in registry with the grooves 65 containing needles 54, so as to permit unobstructed projection and retraction of the needles through the flange 80 in its lowered position.

The method of the presentinvention is best shown in FIGURE l, (and again in FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 9), and is there illustrated in diagrammatic stages. In the. first stage, the fabric 61 passes downward over the guide mem-k bers 76, and thence across the lower edge of rear guide member 76 toward the needle bed 25, as at 86. The

just previously stitched `fabric: is maintained closely against the needle bed 25, the last-stitched pleat being designated 88.

In the next stage, the guide members 75 and 76 (see i FIG. 7) have moved downward, the latter guide member moving into the needle path, as will appear presently. By this downward movement of the guide members 75 and 76, the fabric portion 86 has been conveyed or advanced past or beyond the needle path and at a rate exceeding the average speed of fabric advance, which result is achieved by the guide member 76 deflecting the fabric away from the needle bed.

In this downward position of guide members 75 and 76,.

with the fabric portion 86 deflected away from the needle bed 25.beyond and out of the path of the needles, the

needles 54 then project forward through the lower-edge openings 81 of the guide member 76 and the fabric portion forward of the guide member 76.

The guide members 75 and 76 may next be raised, and the needles 54 Withdrawn or retracted, as in the next stag'e. Raising of guide 51 serves to distend the fabric 4. lV portion preparatory to advance. In this stage, there is illustrated the incipient formation of a pleat or gather by the fabric portion 86. Continued retraction of the needles 54 returns the apparatus to the condition of the first stage, with an additional pleat or gather adjacent to the needle bed 25. Of course, the above-described procedure may be repeated continuously, as desired.

The operation of the apparatus is shown in somewhat more detail in FIGURES 6-9, wherein FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 correspond generally to the three stages in FIG. l, while FIGURE 9 illustrates a return to the stage of FIG- URE 6.

In FIGUREZ is shown a fragment of fabric 9) formed with successive pleats, folds or gathers 91 held in position by stitches 92.

The obverse or wrong side of fabric is shown in FIGURE 3, illustrating the stitches as being conventional chain type.

While the foregoing description has related to stitch pleating, it is understood that the instant methods com prehend stitch gathering and wrinkling, a wide variety of which may be obtained by varying the tension of the fabric, as well as adjustment of the guide 5% relative to the needle bed, the size of stitch, nature of the fabric, and by other variables. t

Proper timing of operation of the waff bar, so as to allow the guide 51 to remain down upon extension of the needles from the gauge, may be obtained by suitably shaped cams in the conventional flat-bed knitting machine.

In addition to the hereinbefore described method of pleating, wrinkling or gathering, it is understood that face patterns of any desired configuration may also be place-d on the surface of the pleatedwrinkled or gathered fabric, in the conventional manner by waff bars located in front of barl 45.

It will, of course, be understood that oscillation of the shaker or slack bar 33 by the action of cam 40, follower 35 and arm 34 isproperly synchronized with the pleating or gathering operation so that fabric is fed to the operation with an intermittent motionto permit the desired pleating or gathering without Vaccumulated slack.

Also, the feeding or drawing of the fabric in properly timed positive intermittent relation may be accomplished by other suitable means, such as a ratchet and pawl mechanism, or other suitable feed means mechanism.

As horizontal adjustment ofthe guide 51 toward and away from the needle gauge 25 is essential to obtain the various required pleating, etc., suitable adjustment` means are provided for this purpose, and omitted from the drawing for clarity. Also, the warp 34 essential to the stitching is employed in the conventional manner, and therefore, does not require `detailed description.

`accomplishes the intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way -of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, itis understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a flat-bed knitting machine including an oscillatory needle, means for conveying fabric across the path of said needle, and an oscillatory waif bar movable generally transversely of said needle path, the improvement comprising a fabric guide located in guiding relation with a Vfabric being conveyed and generally ahead of said needle, said gui-de being mounted on said waff bar for movement therewith to feed successive fabric portions past said needle without stitching, whereby successively fed fabric portions are gathered by successive sitches of said needle.

2. In a at-bed knitting machine including oscillatory needle, and means for drawing fabric across the needle path at a predetermined speed, the improvement comprising a fabric guide located to engage the fabric for oscillatory movement transverse of the needle path to convey fabric portions past said needle path at an increased speed without being stitched, whereby said conveyed fabric portions are gathered by successive sitches of said needle.

3. The improvement according to claim 2, said guide comprising a pair of spaced guide members adapted to receive fabric therebetween, said guide-mounting means mounting said guide members for movement into the needle path ahead of the needle, to convey the fabric portion beyond the needle an-d for retraction out of the needle path.

4. The improvement according to claim 3, at least one of said guide members having an opening for receiving said needle.

5. The combination with a fiat-bed knitting machine including an oscillatory needle, a waff bar mounted for oscillatory movement transverse of said needle, and means for drawing fabric across the path of said needle at a predetermined speed, of a fabric guide carried by said waff bar and movable therewith into and out of said needle path, said fabric guide being adapted to receive a fabric portion ahead of said needle and convey the fabric portion past said needle path at an increased speed without being stitched by the needle, whereby said conveyed fabric portion is gathered by the next needle stitch.

6. The combination with a Hat-bed knitting machine including a substantially straight needle bed, a plurality of needles mounted for reciprocable projection andretraction relative to said bed, an oscillatory waff bar movable transversely of the direction of needle movement, and withdrawal means for drawing a fabric across sai-d needle bed and the path of needle movement, elongate guide means carried by said wafrr bar generally parallel to said bed and in position for receiving fabric before crossing said bed and needle path, said guide means being movable with said waff bar into and out of said needle path in synchronism with said needles, to advance successive fabric portions beyond said needles to be pleated by successive stitches.

'7. The combination according to claim 6, said guide means comprising a pair of parallel spaced guide members for receiving fabric therebetween, at least one of said guide members having openings for receiving said needles.

S. The combination according to claim 6, said guide means being carried by said waff bar for fabric-conveying movement into the needle path ahead of the needles to convey said fabric /portion beyond the needles and for retractable movement out of the needle path to distend a successive fabric portion preparatory to being conveyed beyond the needles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1924 List 66-85 6/1961 Guerard 112--134 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A FLAT-BED KNITTIN MACHINE INCLUDING AN OSCILLATORY NEEDLE, MEANS FOR CONVEYING FABRIC ACROSS THE PATH OF SAID NEEDLE, AND AN OSCILLATORY WAFF BAR MOVABLE GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY OF SAID NEEDLE PATH, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A FABRIC GUIDE LOCATED IN GUIDING RELATION WITH A FABRIC BEING CONVEYED AND GEN- 